The balancing act How to handle being a full-time student with a part-time job 01/12/2012

 

“I’m paying for my own school. Without a job, I wouldn’t be in college,” says Voranan Mongkolpumirat, junior at Wheelock College (www.wheelock.edu) in Boston, Mass.

Attention prospective college students: prepare to pull out your wallets and get to work because parents aren’t paying up like they used to.

According to a recent ApplyWise.com and NextStepU survey, about 22 percent of parents have not saved any money toward their child’s college education and another 20 percent say they have saved less than $5,000. 

 “I just can’t afford not to work,” says Samantha Seymour, senior at Roberts Wesleyan College (www.roberts.edu) in Rochester, N.Y.

When juggling homework and working, plus trying to hold onto somewhat of a social life, college can feel like a three-ring circus. 

Keep a tight grip on the situation

• Stay on-campus. Whether it is working at the library, gym or café, or guiding tours for incoming students or tutoring fellow students, there are plenty of jobs that need to be done on campus.

Karen Campana, director of new student advising at Benedictine University (www.ben.edu) in Illinois, has seen more students seeking out these types of gigs. Why? The convenience. “I have random one-hour shifts throughout the week that fit right in between my classes,” says Justin Barleben, sophomore at Roberts Wesleyan College (www.roberts.edu).

• Be up-front about your student status with your employer. “Come finals week when you need to alter your schedule a little bit, you need to let your employer know what’s going on,” says Campana. Find somewhere that is known for hiring lots of students. Chances are they will be more flexible and understanding as far as scheduling goes.
• Be assertive, too. If you’re being given far too many hours—just say so! You can’t expect the situation to change until you speak up.
• Plan ahead. Scan your syllabi for tests, quizzes and papers and stock-up on sticky notes. “I have a schedule drawn up that I stick on my wall, listing important dates for the semester,” says Mongkolpumirat.

Campana also suggests being proactive. So if you notice that you have a test, a presentation and two papers due a week and a half down the road, you had better get a head start. Every minute counts. Sneak in extra study time by taking advantage of lunch breaks and slow business – even if that means just flipping through flash cards.

• Schedule your life carefully. If you would like to work mornings at a coffee shop, then look into afternoon/night classes. If you would rather work evenings at a restaurant, then consider enrolling in some earlier classes. 

But either way, be sure to pencil-in some time to breathe. “It gets kind of crazy schedule-wise,” warns Barleben. “Just make sure you actually have room for everything and time to commit.”

Keep in mind that professors are also doing what they can to help you make the most of class time, Campana says. “Some instructors are allowing students to meet during part of class for larger group projects.”

• Get a life and make time for yourself. Do not hesitate to give away some hours and take a weekend off once in a while. Barleben tries to keep his evenings open. It is these time-outs that can help keep you sane.

Promise yourself when…you get less than five hours of sleep a night; when your friends think you have gone missing, that you will cut back on hours or quit. Barleben, for example, tells himself that if his grades were to start suffering, he would stop working as much.

• Be realistic. If work just isn’t working out, don’t be afraid to stop. Your job should not cost you happiness.

School is a full-time job – “If you end up failing a class, you’re the one who’s paying for it. There’s no second chance with that money,” says Voranan.

But it will all pay off. “Even though it’s stressful at times, I feel like I’m preparing myself for the real-world,” says Seymour. 

Bryn Durgin has a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism from St. John Fisher College (www.sjfc.edu) in Rochester, NY. 

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Credit smarts Preparing your finances for life during (and after!) college 01/12/2012

 

Making sure your finances are in order before you go to college is something that is just as important as making sure you’ve packed everything you need and have registered for classes. And “finances” doesn’t just mean making sure your tuition is paid and your financial aid is in place! Being familiar with your personal finances—how you handle money, how you budget, and where you spend your cash is essential, too.

So, what steps can you take to make sure that you keep on top of your college finances, and set yourself up for financial success after you get your college degree?

Get a job
Nothing makes you start caring about where your money goes like getting a job. When you have to work hard for every dollar you get, you start paying closer attention to how it is spent. Consider getting an after-school job while you’re still in high school (and continue it through the summers, working more hours, so that you can save up for when you leave for college). Once you’re in college, consider getting a campus job. Colleges love employing their own students, and often pay them much nicer hourly wages than you could find off-campus. If your college doesn’t have campus jobs or you can’t find one, get an off-campus job. Every college town has plenty of jobs for college students, ranging from waiting tables to part-time office work. Start weaning yourself from your parents’ pocketbooks, and start earning your own cash. Not only will it make you feel like a self-sufficient adult, it will also let you value and understand money a lot more.

Get familiar with your finances
Do you have a checking account? If you don’t, get one. Start putting money in it. Get online banking, and get in the habit of periodically checking your account. Know how much money there is in there at any given time, and know where your money is going. Once you have a checking account, consider starting to pay for some of your own bills, like your cell phone or your gas (after all, your parents can’t pay for those things forever!).

Get familiar with how banking works, what incentives your bank offers (many college town banks waive checking or ATM fees for students with a certain GPA, for example, or give you bonuses or freebies if you make Dean’s List). Consider getting a debit card so that you can start making purchases on your own. Debit cards work like credit cards in that you can make purchases wherever credit cards are accepted—but only let you use the money you actually have in the bank. It’s a great way to start getting used to using “plastic” instead of cash. Consider opening a savings account, too, and putting a small amount of money in there every month. Even something as small as $25 every month can quickly add up (by the end of a year, you’ll have saved $300!).

Learn how to budget
Budgeting isn’t just for moms and families—it’s for anyone who wants to keep their bank account in the black! It’s not hard to do—budgeting is just a fancy word for planning ahead. Sit down and write down all your expenses, and then compare them to your income. Make sure your expenses don’t exceed your income, and plan ahead for big purchases (like a spring break trip with your new college friends). There are great (and free!) online budgeting tools like Mint.com and BudgetSimple.com that let you follow everything online, and keep on track with what you earn and what you spend. Use your parents as a resource to help you get started with budgeting, too—after all, they’ve been doing it for a long time, and will have great insight and tips to share!

Think about what you purchase, and whether you really need it:

• That expensive cell phone with all the bells and whistles? Remember that there’s also an expensive monthly cell phone plan that comes along with it—it’s not just the cost of the phone you have to save up for.
• That super-advanced laptop? You probably don’t need such a fancy one unless you’re going into architecture or video game design—get the cheaper one instead.
• Have a university meal plan? Use it! Don’t eat out unless you absolutely have to—and you shouldn’t if you have a meal plan. Don’t have a meal plan? Go grocery shopping! Eating at restaurants can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars a month. You can buy a week’s worth of groceries for what you’d spend on two or three meals at a restaurant.
• Going out with friends? Cover fees, entry costs, food and drinks can add up fast. Make your outings sporadic rather than constant—you’ll save a ton of money, and they’ll be more special, too!

Depend on yourself
Most importantly, learn to pay your own way. You’ll find that once you get into the hang of being a money-conscious adult, being smart about your finances, your credit and your money is easy!

Understand credit cards
Credit cards can be dangerous if you don’t know how to use them correctly—not only can you end up owing a lot of money very fast, but if you don’t pay that money off in a timely manner, it can end up impacting your credit score, which can hurt your chances of being able to get a car or house down the road! Chances are pretty good you don’t need a credit card while you’re in college—but if you want to have one, then talk to your parents about it first. They have experience using credit, and can give you guidance on whether a credit card is a good idea for you, and help you get one if it is. Spend wisely (and frugally!).

Anne Chaconas is the director of admissions counseling for PowerScore Test Preparation (www.powerscore.com). Every year, she answers countless questions about college admissions and helps many students get into their top choice schools. 

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What are you sharing on social media sites? Beef up your privacy settings unless you want to suffer the consequences 11/21/2011

A typical Facebook user’s recent activity might be something like this: Turn off the light. Check. Remember passport and ticket. Check. Close the windows. Check. Ready to go to Hawaii. Oh wait, almost forgot to tell my friends! Post on Facebook and Twitter from mobile, “On my way to Hawaaaaaaaii! Check.

Another person’s activity: Check Facebook. Sneak in to unsuspecting person’s room since they are away on vacation. Check. Look for valuables. Check. Grab laptop sitting on the table...

Just one status update on social networking websites can lead to unwanted consequences. Criminals are increasingly using social networking websites for their own questionable purposes. Plus, there’s another kind of user checking you out online—potential employers. So be sure you know what you’re putting online and be a bit more careful about your public posts!

Student privacy please
If you use social networking websites in your life, update your status, post photos and videos, but don’t pay much attention to privacy issues, then your information is open for public viewing. Not only are photographs viewed, but very personal items like your address, telephone number and Skype username can be found by simply reading through your recent activities and posts.

Social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, are one of the fastest growing phenomenon on the Internet. But they certainly aren’t private forums. That’s why you have to understand your privacy settings, know the risks of using the social networking websites and learn what not to post as a student.

Who can see you?
The photographs of you and the photos you have been tagged in on Facebook are available to all friends of friends when using the recommended setting. This may sound harmless, but let’s do the math. Say you have 130 friends, and each of those friends has another 130 friends, half of whom are mutual. That means more than 8,000 people can view your photos. This conservative estimate is a surprisingly large number. So if you are even more social, the number of friends and friends of friends increases exponentially.

You have to check the privacy-setting page yourself, gather information about each section on it and choose the correct setting for your life. By understanding how to set a strong privacy setting, you can protect your posts and information on social networking websites and the Internet.

Do you know who your friends are?
Even if you have a strong privacy setting, your private posts or personal information on social media sites can still be leaked out—thanks to your friends. Before you continue reading, check your friend list and think about these two questions: How many friends do you have on your social networking website? How many of them have you actually met or know well?

You should not accept requests from unknown friends. However, most people do accept a friend request from strangers. Even though accepting a friend request from “a friend of a friend” might seem harmless, be careful. These so called “friends” on social networking websites can gain access to items such as status updates, posted photos and personal details.

You should also “clean up” your friend list by deleting friends you haven’t talked to recently or do not know in order to reduce the risk of your personal items being leaked.

Before you post anything on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or any other social networking website, ask yourself whether it’s worth telling your friends, and if so, consider how many people are able to see the post.

Remember to keep private, personal details out of your posts. Somebody you don’t know is watching you on the Internet for many possible reasons. Be aware of your privacy settings on social networking websites and protect yourself from unwanted consequences in your life.

Hideaki Furukawa was born in Japan in 1996 and moved to Switzerland when he was a 5th grade student. He has been helping others better understand social media ever since. 

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Lessons Learned: Slow down senior year Don't rush your last year of high school 08/08/2011

My life my last year of high school was such a blur. 

 

The year started with the mad dash to test, apply to colleges and apply for financial aid. Meanwhile, I was busy taking AP and dual enrollment courses at the local community college.

 

I was too busy. 

 

I didn’t attend the football games that I had really enjoyed in my earlier high school years, and I don’t recall any exciting service projects, although I was a member of various community service groups. I didn’t even have time in my life to muster up a date for prom — I went with a limo-full of girl friends instead.

 

Was my life that year a blast? Absolutely. We had high school pep rallies, college prep nights and senior trips. 

 

But if I had to do it all over again (and you’ll hear me say this a lot) I would have done a few things differently. I wouldn’t have worried so much about college credit. That’s what college is for. 

 

And although I found time to work part time and contribute to neighborhood newspapers, I probably should have spent that free time on campus. When I look back I don’t remember any really great senior moments—only blurry ones. 

 

Slow down. You only have this last year once. Sure there is lots to do, but find time to make the most of those once-in-a-lifetime senior moments. 

 

 

Enid Arbelo Bryant is the Editor in Chief of NextStepU Magazine (www.NextStepU.com). Her mistakes are your good fortune as she recalls her college years and what she wishes she knew then.

 

 

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Out with the old and in with the new Don’t let distance lead to a failed friendship 08/08/2011

Don’t let heading off to college and saying goodbye to your best friend from home be a farewell to the friendship. You can keep your friends from home and make new friends in college. So if you want to have the best of both worlds, this is what you have to do:

 

• Stay in touch.

A lot is happening with both of you and in a short period of time. If too much of it passes without you two talking, catching up can be kind of awkward. With the combination of Facebook, Twitter and texting, staying connected shouldn’t pose a problem. Sending an e-mail with some life-updates takes hardly any time at all. If you want to make it more personal then schedule a Skype date. Think of it as a great use of your procrastination time. 

 

• Remember important dates like birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, and reach out. Let your best friend know you are thinking about them. If you really want to be a phenomenal pal then send a card. To take this gesture even further, don’t wait for a special date; do it just because. 

 

• Talk about your best friend from home to your friends in college and vice versa. There’s no doubt that it will make one feel great when the other says, “I’ve heard so much about you!” 

 

• Bring the two worlds together.

Just check with both sides first and make sure they’re comfortable with meeting. You can invite your best friend from home to spend a weekend with you on campus and invite your college best friend to spend a weekend with you at home. Just keep it low-key and take it slow to begin with. Most importantly, avoid making inside jokes. While two of you will be laughing, the other will be feeling left out. 

 

• Chances are your best friend from home is building new relationships, too, and you can benefit from being introduced to some of these friends. 

If all goes well, you can both end up with a larger circle of friends. Just don’t force it. Yes, there is a good chance that the bests will hit it off. But if the plan goes up in flames, trying to push the issue will only fuel the fire. In this worst-case scenario, try not to feel pressured to pick sides.

 

• Be honest about the friendship. 

The two of you need to put in an equal effort. If you both care, then it will work. If neither of you care, then it definitely won’t. And if only one of you cares, then feelings are going to get hurt. Old pals don’t have to be left in the past. It’s not as if you’ll always be only a dorm room away from your college companions either. As long as you’re willing to put in the work, your friendship will be able to go the distance.

 

Bryn Durgin has a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism from St. John Fisher College (www.sjfc.edu).

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Beyond the beach A crash course in alternative spring breaks 08/04/2011

In the clichéd college spring break, students lounge in the sun all day and party late into the night. But not all students fit the stereotypical mold, and many seek out more meaningful ways to spend their free time. 

Enter alternative spring breaks—volunteer programs that allow you to trade beach sand under your toes for dirt under your fingernails. Whether staying in their local communities or traveling abroad, students on alternative spring breaks have the chance to do something productive and meaningful that could potentially change their outlook on life. 

 

“Alternative spring breaks are spring breaks with a purpose,” says Theresa Higgs, vice president of operations for United Planet, an international nonprofit organization that provides several student volunteer programs primarily outside the United States. 

 

Opportunities range from lending a hand in an orphanage in Cambodia, which is possible through United Planet, or helping to restore hiking trails in the Grand Canyon, an activity spring breakers have participated in through Student Conservation Association, which allows young adults to work in America’s national parks.

 

Many organizations like United Planet and Student Conservation Association exist to provide students with options for alternative spring breaks, and some colleges offer alternative spring break options specifically for their students as well. 

 

Picking a program

Higgs recommends that college students first ask themselves why they want an alternative spring break. What are your goals, and what activities most interest you in your life? 

 

Kevin Hamilton, vice president for marketing and communications at the Student Conservation Association, notes that alternative spring breaks don’t have to reflect what you’re studying in college. “What we’re most looking for is passion,” he says. “We’re looking for students who really want to give back, who are passionate about the environment, who want to work together as part of a team, who aren’t afraid to put in some hard work.” 

 

After deciding what you want to achieve on your alternative spring break, it’s time to consider where you want to go. Though traveling overseas is particularly appealing to many students, travel can suck up a lot of time, so it might be worthwhile to stay within a few time zones of your college so you don’t spend half of your break on an airplane. It’s also important to consider your interests when debating where to go. Perhaps you’re studying a foreign language you’d like to practice or have particular ties to a country you’d like to visit. Many alternative spring break programs aren’t entirely focused on volunteer work, and you should also consider what else you’d like to get from this college life experience. 

 

“Students are taking a break from school and their world, and they want a little adventure, a little fun,” Higgs says. At United Planet, for example, students have the option to do some sightseeing, and cultural immersion is a big focus of the program. The Student Conservation Association, on the other hand, gives students time to explore the national park they’re working in.

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Being connected Keeping in touch is important, but know where to draw the line 03/25/2011

No student headed to college wants to be a kid anymore. Yet, you might get caught between your teens and adulthood if you aren’t mindful of the way you communicate with your parents when you start college life. 

Cell phones, e-mail, Skype and social media sites make it easy for you to talk with your parents just like you did during high school. But even though technology enables you to keep giving them daily life updates, it may not be advisable.

 

Before instant communication was available, college students typically called home once a week, often on Sunday night from the dorm phone. Today, with cell phones and computers, families communicate more than 13 times per week.

 

Dr. Barbara Hofer, a psychology professor at Middlebury College, and journalist Abigail Sullivan Moore reported these statistics in their book, The iConnected Parent: Staying Close to Your Kids in College (and Beyond) While Letting Them Grow Up, released last fall. Hofer and Moore’s research shows that it’s not just parents making all the calls. 

 

College students—freshmen and seniors alike—are initiating the contact with their families. While this frequent communication produces positive effects, like keeping families close, it can also negatively affect your college life experience. If you spend a lot of your free time chatting with your parents, you’ll have less time to find new friends and learn about activities on campus. In addition, you might be more inclined to get help on an assignment or complain about an irritating roommate when it’s really time for you to handle those situations yourself. Furthermore, college students who have the most frequent contact with their parents are the least independent students, Hofer says.

 

In college, you learn to take on new responsibilities like doing laundry and managing your studies. You have to decide what clubs you’ll join and what your major will be. If you stay in constant contact with your parents, you’re likely to depend on them to help you with these new challenges in your life. But thinking through these situations without your parents’ assistance is exactly how you become an adult who is ready for life after college.If you have a problem or a decision to make, Hofer says, “Don’t assume that the first person who should hear about it is your mom.” Instead, she recommends that students try thinking about what they can do on their own before they involve their parents.

 

Conveniently, most colleges provide resources to help you through this transition. You’ll have an academic advisor, resident assistant (RA) if you live in a dorm, teaching assistants (TAs) in many of your classes, professors, deans and probably a writing, counseling and health center. These people are trained to help you with all of college life’s demands and know how to help you make informed choices.

 

“Find the college resources that will help you. Because in the long run, you’ll be a better adult if you know how to take care of these sorts of things on your own and you know how to get the help that you need,” Hofer says.

 

Consider speaking with your parents before you leave home about how often you want to communicate. Hofer suggests beginning that conversation by saying, “I read about communicating during college, and it sounds like too much of it might not be good.” Ask your parents how much they think you should talk. Perhaps agree to call home on Sunday night if you’ve gone the whole week without talking to your parents. After your first semester, have another conversation about how your communication patterns are working for both of you.

 

Hofer doesn’t recommend a certain number of calls for families or designate subjects that are off-limits between parents and students. Communicating during college isn’t about learning to cut ties with each other. With today’s technology, that’s hardly possible. Rather, it’s about figuring out how to become independent while staying really connected to your parents. 

 

When and where to find help on campus

When you’re:                          

Having roommate troubles -->  Your dorm’s RA

Unhappy with an exam grade --> Your professor or TA

Trying to pick next semester’s classes --> Your academic advisor

Not sure if the relationship with your boyfriend at another college is working --> One of your friends who is having the same problem

Writing a paper that needs editing --> Your school’s writing center or a peer tutor

 

 

Jessica Lymberopoulos is a freelance writer based in Houston, Tex. She graduated from Lee University (www.leeuniversity.edu)) in 2010 with a degree in English.

 

 

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Less stress, more success How to avoid feeling overworked 03/25/2011

College life can be pretty hectic, especially when you’re juggling class work, college applications and extracurricular activities. With so many different responsibilities, it can be downright stressful at times. It’s important to do your best and work hard, but if it’s always go-go-go you put yourself at risk for serious burnout.

So how can you keep college life stress from dragging you down? There are plenty of simple, easy solutions to try. Check out these stress-busting tips from real teens who know exactly what you’re going through.

 

 

Take a break

Sixteen-year-old Zach Veach is no stranger to stress. When he’s not busy going to class and studying, he competes as a racecar driver for Andretti Autosport in Stockdale, Ohio. One of his favorite ways to cope with stress in his life is to give himself a break when he needs one. “Especially if you’re stressed about school work, I’ve found out that if you take a break from a paper you can’t figure out and come back after a short relaxing break, it’s a lot easier to focus and get it done,” Veach says.

 

Relax with friends

Another great way to deal with stress is to spend time with friends.“Talking to a best friend can relieve stress, too,” Veach says. “My teammate from this past year and I Skype almost every night. We talk about everything and anything, from our favorite race tracks to girls.” Whether you are having a heart-to-heart or are laughing about a funny story, talking to a friend is the perfect way to clear your head and gain a little perspective on things.

 

And don’t forget to hang out with your furry friends as well! Pets have a special talent for cheering people up. “Animals are so compassionate and they love you for who you are and they don’t judge, so when I am having a bad day or whatever, just petting my little dogs helps,” says Rachel Pavelka, 15, of Holdrege, Neb.

 

Exercise

Exercise is another proven stress buster and with so many options available, you’re sure to find an exercise you actually enjoy doing.“In the past, I have gone for long runs, played tennis or hiked,” says Monika Lutz, 18, of New York City. 

 

“Kickboxing has also been a great outlet to release tension.”The next time you’re feeling stressed, get your blood pumping. Go shoot hoops, take a walk or ride your bike. Before you know it, you’ll be refreshed, recharged and ready to go. 

 

Ask the expert

What is “stress” anyway? We turned to Susan Orenstein, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and author of College Companion: Survival Guide to College Life for a scientific explanation and expert advice.

 

What is stress? How can it affect your body? 

Stress is a physical response and an emotional response to a perceived threat in the environment. Our body prepares to meet the challenge of that threat by getting ready for “fight or flight.” 

 

Our initial emotional response is one of arousal, but then we have a secondary response to that arousal based on how capable we feel of meeting a challenge in a successful manner. If we feel competent, we can see the challenge as exciting and as an opportunity for self-growth. If we feel incompetent, overwhelmed or hopeless, we’ll experience a sense of anxiety and dread.

 

What can teens do to better cope with stress?

1. Identify the stressor. Once you label it, you’re already taming it. Ask yourself what’s bothering you? What’s causing you discomfort?

2. Make sure not to make the situation worse. Ask yourself if you’re handling stress in any harmful ways (for example, abusing alcohol or drugs, overeating, taking out your frustration on other people). If so, realize that you can get support and help breaking these destructive patterns.

3. Talk to a guidance counselor, parent, coach or other adult that you can trust. Let them know you’d like some help coping with your stress.

 

Sarah Nagel is lucky to live in beautiful Boulder, Colo. She works as an editor by day and a freelance writer by night.

 

 

 

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How to avoid the cramming crisis Stress doesn't always equal success 03/24/2011

It’s that time of year again. The semester is at its end and you are facing another round of final exams. Just the thought of preparing for these tests is enough to give anyone a headache. So what can you do to make this time different? Read on for some tips to help you avoid the cramming crisis and prepare for life after graduation!

Cramming, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, means to study hastily and concentratedly for an examination. Most likely, if you haven’t crammed before, there may be cramming in your future (do you want to do that in life after graduation?) Why do you cram? Maybe you’ve been sick and missed school. Maybe your extracurricular commitments have taken up more time than you planned. Maybe you are not the most organized person or maybe you’ve mastered the art of procrastination. 

 

Dr. Todd Damrow, a professor at Carroll College, Helena, Mont., offers this explanation: “I think that the majority of students, unfortunately, are more concerned about their grade than they are about becoming educated.” 

 

Whatever your reason may be, now is the time to consider the pros and cons of cramming. Let’s say you have a job or play sports at school. You may argue that cramming is all you have time to do. You’ve done it in the past and it has helped you maintain a respectable GPA. Kudos to you! Yes, cramming can be an effective way of studying for a test. This leads to one problem. Damrow says, “Previous-night cramming for tests commits information to short-term memory, whereas extending one’s studying of material over time is more likely to result in retaining information in long-term memory, and this is better for your overall education.” 

 

There is also a physical side to cramming. Cramming puts stress on your body. Sleeplessness and anxiety are a bad combination during final exams. In a 2008 study, researchers from the University of California-Irvine, found that stress, even if it lasted only a few hours, hindered brain-cell communication in areas associated with learning and memory. What is the solution? Constructing a study chart can be effective even with only one week to prepare for final exams, and these are skills you can use for life after graduation.

 

 

Here’s how it works:

• Take an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper and turn it on its side.

• Use a pencil and ruler to divide the paper into seven columns across the top.

• Use the pencil and ruler to divide the paper into rows for each class.

• Label the columns with the days of the week.

• Label the rows with class titles.

• Fill in the exam day and time for each class.

• Cross out remaining days on the chart after you take the exam.

• Fill in remaining boxes with study times and ideas.Now as the end of the semester approaches, look forward to it! Make your study chart, stick to it and reap the rewards at the end. 

 

Things to remember

• Be as specific as possible. Instead of writing “study Bio” put “read through study guide and highlight questions to ask my ?teacher.”

• Set time limits. Instead of writing “read study guide” try “from 1:00-1:20 p.m. review vocabulary cards.”

• Be realistic. Consider which classes need the most attention. These will probably NOT be the classes you enjoy the most, but then focus on coming up with ways to make studying fun. • Reward yourself! No one said studying is easy. Write down what you will do after exams are over.

• Be willing to try something new. The way you studied in middle school or high school may not be effective as the material you are required to learn increases in difficulty. 

• Stay current. If you must miss class, then make sure to borrow someone’s notes. Either rewrite them using your chosen format or photocopy them and add them to your notebook at the appropriate place.

• As soon as you take a chapter test, refer back to your notes and highlight any information you remember from the test. If it was important enough to be on a chapter test, it might show up on ?a semester test.

• Always keep graded and returned papers. Study the ?teacher’s comments. 

• Correcting your own errors ?is a great way to study. Only throw away papers after you are sure you will not be tested on the information. 

 

Heather Bode has worked in the field of education for 15 years. She lives in Helena, Mont.

 

 

 

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Experience the diversity around you Start by looking around your campus 02/10/2011

I carry my basket of seaweed, rice crackers, plum juice and lychee candy to the register. I am the only Caucasian in the Hannam Market, which is five minutes from my southern California college campus. 

 

“Kamsahamnida,” I thank the woman who is ringing me up. She looks up at me, surprised to hear me speak her language. Beaming, I collect my snacks and head out to my car. I’d often sped past this Asian grocery on my way to Barnes & Noble, but I never thought I’d become a regular. 

 

The day I met Laura, my college freshman roommate from Sabah, I could hardly catch her words; she had a strong, Chinese accent, and spoke a British-influenced Malaysian slang. But as I got to know her, I found myself welcomed into a wonderful unexplored world—not in her distant homeland but in my own neighborhood. 

 

Through the international friends I made in college, I became more aware of my own identity as I learned to appreciate the diversity of my campus. Laura and Dahye, a friend from Seoul, not only shared their culture with me but also helped me see my own through new eyes. Dahye had never climbed a tree—at home, girls always wore skirts and heels. Laura had never run through the sprinklers—in her rainy region, there was no need for them. As for me, I had never tasted cuttlefish (a type of mollusk) or pickled cabbage. When your friends are international students, someone always has something to share, so adventures are abundant. You’ll learn to love and may even cook ethnic foods, but there is so much more.

 

As I showed my new friends the local landmarks and attractions, they, in return, showed me all I had overlooked in my own city. Most of my international friends are from East and Southeast Asia, so suddenly, the Korean market, little boba shops and manga stores poked their heads out of obscure shopping centers. I snapped their pictures in front of the Hollywood Sign and they made me pose for photo stickers in K-Town.

 

Don’t ever be afraid to ask about an international student’s country or language. When I first learned I would be rooming with a Malaysian student, I was excited but also nervous that my curiosity would somehow offend her. My fears were groundless. My new roommate welcomed every question. International students often build close-knit friendships amongst themselves and it can be difficult for them to feel comfortable in American culture unless someone shows interest in who they are and where they came from.

 

Your international friends might have distinct expectations of ownership, privacy, and time—and these differences can sometimes cause friction. Just remember, those differences are rooted in their cultural identity. In rooming with Laura, our speech patterns mixed. I learned little phrases in Mandarin, Korean, Japanese and even Hakka, while American slang and idiom began to show up in her speech. Laura, Dahye and my university’s International Student Association have enriched the diversity of my college years immeasurably. 

 

As you search for a college that will serve your educational goals, also consider the campus sub-cultures and even the study abroad programs available. Don’t skim through your college years without immersing yourself in the diversity all around you. 

 

Sarah McMillen is ?an English major at Biola University (www.biola.edu).